Extraordinary Magic
by Selena Snow
Summary: She was just a girl, and he was just a boy. Okay, no, she was more than that to Fred Weasley, but he would never admit it to anyone other than George. This is the untold story of what really happened. AU with Fremione
1. Chapter 1

She was a girl, fourteen year old Fred Weasley told himself. Just another girl. Except most other girls didn't look that cute when they blushed, or had the same crazy hair that she did. He knew that she was younger than him- he'd seen her walking around with his little brother Ron and Mr. I-Defeated-You-Know-Who-When-I-Was-A-Baby. He even happened to know her name.

She was Hermione Granger, one of Harry Potter's legendary sidekicks and the famous Gryffindor know-it-all. She was also, perhaps, Fred's new crush. Not that he would ever admit it, though. Even his twin brother George couldn't get him to confess it. No, Fred was just content to let himself think that he was just noticing Hermione because she was his younger brother's friend. That's the only reason she stood out.

Yeah right.

Deep down, Fred knew why he just "happened" to find himself around her. Why he'd throw in random comments or try to distract her from her homework. He wanted her to notice him the way he'd noticed her. If only she would just look up at him for one second! Maybe that was why he'd started pulling more pranks, recently? He was practically begging her for attention.

But no, she wouldn't give it to him. All she did was hang around Harry and Ron and her books. This endless cycle (pull prank, don't get noticed, try harder) carried on for years, but Fred never gave up. And then came the Yule Ball in his sixth year. Finally, he thought, something to get his mind off of the whole Bagman ordeal. But no, she'd already been asked out by Viktor Krum, Sir Slouch-A-Lot.

Seventh year, he was determined. He went to all the D.A. meetings, got caught by her every chance he got, and pulled the most outrageous stunt yet when he left the school. And still, nothing. What had he expected? An owl note from her showering him in praises?

Then came the day she visited the shop. She was over by the Patented Daydream Charms with Harry, and he'd seen her crazy curly hair the second she'd walked in the shop.

"…You know," he could hear her say to Harry. "That really is some extraordinary magic!"

With his typical charming grin and a flourish of his robes, he leaned against the shelf behind her. "For that, Hermione, you can have one for free," he told her. She jumped and turned around to see who'd spoken. The second he saw those wide, caramel eyes, he felt his knees go weak. It had been far too long since the last time he'd seen her.

To keep himself from staring at her, he quickly turned to her friend. "How are you, Harry?" he asked with a quick handshake. "And what's happened to your eye, Hermione?" Her usually beautiful face was marred with a dark purple mark around her left eye.

"Your punching telescope," she replied. An embarrassed flush graced her cheeks.

"Oh blimey," he cringed, "I forgot about those. Here- just dab it on, that bruise'll be gone within the hour." He handed her a small tub from his pocket and watched as she gently unscrewed the lid. "We had to find a decent bruise remover. We're testing most of our products on ourselves."

"It is safe, isn't it?" she asked warily.

Fred grinned widely at her. "Course it is." He turned back to Harry and dragged him off to give him a tour of the place. He wanted to stay with Hermione, but he figured that he should show his donor what they had done with the money. Just a few minutes later, after Verity called George out of the back room, Fred subtly led Harry back over toward Ginny and Hermione.

"Haven't you girls found our special WonderWitch products, yet?" Fred questioned mischievously. At their confused looks, he made a sweeping motion with his hands. "Follow me, ladies!" He led them through the crowds of giggling girls to a wall of shelves filled with bright pink bottles. "There you go! Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere!"

"Do they work?" Ginny asked doubtfully.

Fred watched closely as Hermione picked up a bottle with a curious look on her face. Then he remembered his little sister's question. "Certainly they work, for up to twenty four hours at a time depending on the weight of the boy in question-"

"-and the attractiveness of the girl," George finished from behind him. Fred turned around and grinned at his twin. "But we're not selling them to our sister," George said quickly. "Not when she's already got about five boys on the go from what we've-"

"Whatever you've heard from Ron is a big fat lie," Ginny interrupted immediately. Fred gladly entered into the amusing sibling banter with Ginny and George. All the while he kept an eye on Hermione, waiting to see if he could find a good time to show her the collection of quills they had. Surely she would find those interesting?

Before he knew it, Ron and their mum had shown up, adding onto the Weasley family drama. He was about to change the subject back to Ginny's string of boyfriends when a little girl tugged on his robe.

Fred leaned over to look at her. "What can I help you with, little witch?" he asked with a smile.

The little girl looked up at him shyly. "I was wonderin' how much one of those costed," she said with a point to the Pygmy Puffs.

He was just about to answer when her mother came struggling through the crowd and lifted her daughter into her arms. "I am so sorry, sir, I hope she didn't pull you away from any important business," the older witch said hurriedly.

Fred gave the frazzled mother a smile. "It's 'lright, madam! Anything for the little ones, am I right?" he said as he ruffled the little girl's hair. The mother seemed relieved and set off with her daughter to have a closer look at the Pygmy Puff cage.

He smiled after the mother and daughter pair before he realized that he'd lost track of Hermione. Fred turned around and saw her standing there with a wary expression. Before he could ask her to come with him to look at the quills, however, she was disappearing under an invisible cape, presumably with Harry and Ron.

Fred sighed, leaning against one of the many shelves in the store. Well, he told himself, at least she'd liked the Patented Daydream Charms. Perhaps he should send her one, he mused.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione was not in a good mood, and no, it had nothing to do with the fact that Harry was practically cheating in potions and doing better than her. Alright, it had everything to do with that. She huffed as she sat down at the Gryffindor table and began to grab pieces of toast and butter them. How was she supposed to get into the Slug Club if Harry kept one-upping her? Perhaps she should take a literal page out of his book and-

Her thought was interrupted by a large grey owl swooping down and placing himself right in front of her on the table. It had a bright magenta sash around its neck, and a gold emblem with "WW" was hanging from it. Chuckling to herself, Hermione untied the package from the owl. Who knew what ridiculous thing those terrible two had sent her? Probably some love potion, or perhaps a skiving snackbox as a joke.

To her great surprise, Hermione opened up the package and saw a letter on top of a box. The letter was not addressed from both twins as she expected. Instead, there was only Fred's name, written in a tidy scrawl. Curious, she opened the letter and read his message.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _You were eyeing these at the shop, and I thought I'd let you experience one. (For educational purposes, of course.) Let me know how you like it!_

 _Sincerely,_  
 _Fred_

 _P.S. Don't let Ron know that I gave you something for free- he'd go knuts!_

Hermione rolled her eyes at the silly pun. She remembered when Ron hadn't had a single knut to buy his brothers' items with. Shaking her head with a smile, she looked down and saw a Patented Daydream Charm. She laughed to herself and wondered when she would ever have an opportunity to use it and what she would use it for.

Later that evening, after a remarkable recreation of her favorite childhood memory, Hermione sat down and began to write a letter. She spent the next thirty minutes writing and re-writing her letter to make sure that it was perfect. Satisfied with the final product, Hermione made her way to the owlery and sent it off to 93 Diagon Alley. She watched the owl fly off into the distance, and then returned to the common room to resume studying.

'Maybe,' she mused, 'I can convince Harry to let me take a look at his potions book.'

* * *

"Hey! Nick it, and get kicked, little mister!" George was shouting over by the fake wands.

Fred laughed to himself as he watched this, staring around his shop with a familiar sense of pride. A constant stream of kids and harassed parents were coming in through the shop doors, and the next moment, so did an owl. Fred hopped down from his place on the staircase and went to meet the creature.

"Hello, sir- oh yes, thank you very much!" he said to the owl as he took the message. "You deserve a treat for all your hard work!" he smiled, handing a treat to the tired bird. It nipped at his fingers happily before taking flight and swooping out of the shop.

The second he looked at the letter in his hands, his heart stopped. Hermione's name was written in perfect cursive on the front. Fred glanced around the shop. He could take a quick break, right? Yes, he decided, he could just this once. Fred made his way through the crowds toward the back room and shut the door firmly behind him. He leaned up against the door and opened the letter.

 _Dear Fred,_

 _First of all, thank you for the gift. I just used it, and it worked incredibly well! It was as if I truly was on the beach in France with my mum and dad. I didn't use it in class, as I know it was intended for, and Harry did mention afterward that I did look slightly dazed. I am aware that this is a side effect, but perhaps some day I could look into how to get rid of it for you? Once again, thank you for the gift, and I cannot wait to hear about what else you have created!_

 _Truly,_  
 _Hermione_

 _P.S. I didn't let Ron know, although earlier he was complaining about his "unfair treatment" at the your shop_

Fred chuckled, then re-read the note twice more before it actually sunk in. Hermione had really liked one of their products! And she was offering to help them with it! There was no doubt in his mind on whether or not he would take her up on that offer. With a huge grin on his face, Fred sat down and began to write his reply.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione was once again surprised when the same magenta-decorated owl landed next to her plate. She hadn't expected such a quick reply, and hadn't yet had an opportunity to research for ways to get rid of the dazed side effect. She took another sip of her pumpkin juice before she opened the letter.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _I will gladly accept your help! If there's anyone that solve a problem, it's little-miss-know-it-all. Would you like to meet me at The Three Broomsticks during your next Hogsmeade weekend? Until then, we can trade ideas for the daydream charm. I've already tried diluting the side effects by lessoning the levels of unicorn hairs and pixie petals, but that makes the daydream less realistic. I'll leave a piece of parchment with the exact "recipe" for the charm, and you can see what you think._

 _With a Lot of Excitement,_  
 _Fred_

Hermione hummed to herself and pulled the second piece of parchment to the front. The ingredients and instructions were very precise, and the process had obviously taken him a long time. She stared at the "recipe" contemplatively as she sipped on her pumpkin juice once more. Surely some research in the library would lead her to the right answer…and then she needed to figure out when the next Hogsmeade weekend was. She decided to wait until she'd done some searching to reply to Fred.

* * *

 _Dear Fred,_

 _I'm so sorry for taking so long to reply! I've spent more hours in the library than you can imagine, and I have a few ideas that I think are worth discussing. The soonest Hogsmeade weekend is September 14th. (Sorry it's so far off) How about we meet at The Three Broomsticks around noon?_

 _Bring parchment and a quill,_  
 _Hermione_

* * *

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _That sounds great! I should have known that the reason you hadn't responded was because you were in the library. Feel free to send me any ideas before we meet! I'll test them out when I can._

 _Can't wait for a butterbeer,_  
 _Fred_

* * *

 _Dear Fred,_

 _Here is what I have come up with:_

 _3.8 grams of pixie petals, sliced_  
 _5.74 grams of essence of dittany_  
 _2.6 unicorn hairs_  
 _4 doxy eggs, finely chopped_  
 _1 drop of lavender oil_

 _Stir the pixie petals with the essence of dittany in a cauldron on high for five minutes, then add the unicorn hairs. Strain potion and slowly add the doxy eggs. Bottle and add lavender oil on top before you put a stopper in it._

 _(I replaced the moondew with lavender oil. It's a muggle oil often used for relaxation, and I thought that it wouldn't cause as deep of a sleep as moondew, therefore reducing the both side effects. Also, it needs to be at the top so that the consumer smells the lavender first, which will relax them before they go under.)_

 _Hope it works,_  
 _Hermione_

* * *

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _You are absolutely brilliant! Adding a bit more dittany did help, as did the lavender oil. I think we need to add a few more pixie petals, but it has definitely improved! I've decided you need to see the laboratory. Maybe over Christmas break? That way you can actually see how the process goes. I think you'd find it interesting!_

 _See you Saturday,_  
 _Fred_


	3. Chapter 3

Fred could not stop checking the mirror, and he could tell that George was getting annoyed. "Gred, you're gonna be fine. Just don't act as nervous as you actually are," he joked.

Fred looked back at his twin through the mirror and gave him a falsely-confident smile. "Who, me? Nervous? Pfft," he laughed awkwardly.

George rolled his eyes and walked away. "You'll be fine! I'm going out with Angelina- see you later!" he called as he made his way down to the shop. Fred took in a deep breath and blew it out. He'd been pacing around the shop all morning until George had banished him upstairs to their flat for being "so ridiculously unproductive". One last glance in the mirror, one more shift of his muggle coat (it was a particularly dark shade blue that went well with his eyes; or so he had been told), and he was apparating to The Three Broomsticks.

The second he appeared outside the door, he smiled. While he didn't regret his decision to leave Hogwarts, he certainly did miss visiting Hogsmeade. Just as he was musing how he could find more time to visit, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.

* * *

Hermione rolled her eyes as she walked down the road alongside Harry and Ron. For the millionth time, Harry was talking about Draco Malfoy. If the situation wasn't so serious, Hermione would have teased him about his apparent obsession. She opened her mouth to respond to a comment of Ron's when she saw a man with bright red hair appear just outside The Three Broomsticks.

She smiled to herself and felt the multiple pieces of parchment she had stuck in her pocket. Most of the papers were covered in her ideas and notes for the daydream potion, while others were blank and ready to be filled with whatever her and Fred would discuss that day. Oddly enough, Hermione had enjoyed this miniature collaboration with the older Weasley, and she found that she had been looking forward to this moment for the past few weeks with great anticipation.

Hermione began to separate from her little posse when she felt a hand grab hers. "Oi, where're you going, 'Mione?" Ron asked.

She rolled her eyes and took her hand back. "I'm meeting your brother for a butterbeer. We've been talking for the past few weeks about improving one of his products," she said vaguely. She nodded her head toward where Fred was standing.

"But what about Malfoy?" Harry demanded.

"I'll be back within two hours at least," she told him reassuringly. As she listened to the boys' outrage at how long she'd be gone, she giggled and made her way toward Fred. She tapped him on the shoulder and watched when he jumped and spun around.

"Hello," Hermione smiled. "Want to go in?" she asked with a nod toward the door.

Fred seemed to be lost in his thoughts for a moment. "Uh- yes! Yes, let's go right in!" he said quickly. She laughed at his excitement, and he grinned back at her.

* * *

Fred thought his heart was going to explode just looking at her. He could hardly believe that she was finally without his annoying little brother and Harry, let alone that she was there to see him. After staring at her for about five seconds, he regained his senses and opened the door for her.

"How about a booth in the back?" he suggested. "Wanna keep the inner workings of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes a secret!"

Hermione looked ready to agree, but soon scrunched up her nose. "Unless you want to watch your little sister snog her boyfriend, I wouldn't suggest it," she said. Fred looked toward the back and saw that Hermione had a point. She nodded her head in a different direction, and he followed her to a booth on the other side of the pub.

The second after they ordered, Hermione leaned forward across the table, eyes wide. "So how did it work? I got your letter the other day," she told him, "but what was it like?"

Fred chuckled at her enthusiasm and leaned forward as well. "I woke up from the charm just fine, but the dream itself wasn't as clear as usual," he informed her, watching her closely. He could practically see the gears turning in her head.

"I think it's funny how you call it a charm," Hermione commented. "When it's really-"

"Really a potion," Fred finished for her. "'Patented Daydream Potion' just doesn't have the same…zing to it, does it? Calling it a charm makes it more fanciful."

She nodded. "I agree, it does make it sound more magical," she joked. Fred laughed, and he noticed that as Hermione laughed with him, a bright pink blush spread across her face. "So did you figure out how many more pixie petals to add?" she asked.

"Not quite, but I think with a bit more tinkering, I'll have the new and improved version of our Daydream Charms," he told her with a smile.

Hermione tilted her head at him curiously. "So why did you need to talk with me today? You seem to have it all figured out," she noted.

"True," he acknowledged. "I have a business proposition- just a side thing, mind you," he added at her wary look. "I know how busy sixth year is, and no doubt you're already studying for your NEWTS."

She blushed, but looked at him attentively. "Go on."

Fred watched as their butterbeers were set down in front of them before he continued. "You test our products, let us know where we can improve, and help us figure out how to improve them," he said simply.

"You make it sound so easy," she laughed. He watched as she took out a piece of parchment and one of his very own Self-Inking quills.

His heart skipped and beat, and he grinned, "Guess you didn't need my help finding those, did you?"

"Well they are quite useful," she told him as she labeled her paper _September 14, Meeting with Fred Weasley_. She looked back up at him. "So how would I be assisting you?" she asked.

Fred sat back and ran a hand through his hair. "For now, I suppose it'd be more of what we've been doing. Owling back and forth about problems and how to fix them. If we could work it out, you could visit the shop sometime and see what the process is actually like," he offered. "Christmas break would probably be best."

Hermione nodded hesitantly. "I'd planned to spend Christmas with my mum and dad, but I'm sure I could come over at some point."

"Fantastic!" he grinned. Fred picked up his butterbeer and clinked it against hers. "To the newest, unofficial employee of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes!" he cheered.

The witch in front of him threw her head back laughing, and Fred thought that he had never seen anything more beautiful. She took a sip of her butterbeer, and when she pulled her mug away, there was a line of foam across the top of her lips. Smiling softly, Fred leaned across and wiped it off with a napkin.

Hermione blushed. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"What are business partners for?" Fred asked with a wink. Hermione giggled again, and Fred knew that he was in trouble.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione honestly didn't know what was keeping her busier- her schoolwork or her side-job with Fred. She could, however, tell which one she was enjoying more. The only problem was she couldn't tell Harry or Ron. Well, Ron didn't really matter at the moment. Not while he was off snogging Lavender all the time.

Anyway, she and Fred had decided to keep the whole thing a secret. It was going pretty well, other than the fact that Harry kept asking her how she had so much homework. What he didn't know was that she was going to the library to search for books about trick spells, not defense charms.

It was actually quite incredible how much she had learned within the last two months. Muggle tricks and pranks, she had always known. But wizard ones? They were on an entirely new level. A complex, bizarre, yet ingenious level. Currently, Hermione was leant over a piece of parchment, writing out all of her new ideas for Fred. She had taken a particular liking to their selection of helpful quills, and personally found that they were quite handy to have around. She tapped the spell-correction quill against her cheek, wondering what she could name her latest "invention". Finally, thirty minutes later, she looked over her letter.

 _Dear Fred,_

 _You wouldn't believe how much my respect for your business has grown within the past month. I'm glad to hear that the daydream charm is finally in working order! Would it be too much to ask for a new and improved one to test out? (For educational purposes, once more)_

 _I have a new list of ideas to send to you. I've made up some names for them and provided explanations below. As you could imagine, some of mine are a bit more muggle-themed._

 _Accio Academics- a wave of this "wand" will lead you straight toward the book you need most in the library._

 _Grammar Grace Quill- finds grammatical mistakes as it writes._

 _Tip Trick Deck- great for drilling you on spells, this ordinary looking deck of cards comes by-the-subject and quizzes you on your hardest classes._

 _Bin-Bag Backpack- looks normal on the outside, but the inside has more than enough room for all of your garbage and more._

 _Magical Mind Mint- if you're feeling tired in class, pop this sweet candy in your mouth for a burst of peppermint, a scientifically proven ingredient that increases alertness and awareness._

 _Laughing Lollies- after a long study session, suck on this sweet treat and laugh as it tells you joke after joke._

 _I hope you liked them,_  
 _Hermione_

* * *

"She's absolutely brilliant," George laughed. "Absolutely brilliant! I would have never thought of those! Are you sure this is Hermione Granger you're writing?"

Fred nodded dumbly, a sappy grin on his lips. His little witch was so incredibly intelligent, and she was amazing him more and more each day. He felt George put a hand on his shoulder and say, "Good job, Freddie. Always knew you picked the good ones."

It wasn't until after George had left the back room did Fred finally snap out of his daze. With a large smile on his face, he began writing back.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _As George said, you are absolutely brilliant! (And I agree with him) No doubt in my mind that you worked very hard on these ideas, and I cannot even begin to express how much I appreciate all you've done already. I hate to ask any more of you, but if you could send a list of spells to go along with each product, that would be fantastic!_

 _We need to meet up again,_  
 _Fred_

* * *

Hermione grinned proudly as she re-read his letter. She had been so nervous that they would think that all of her ideas were too "nerdy". Actually hearing how much they liked it made her practically glow. This intense feeling of happiness seemed so rare these days. Not only did she have a strained friendship with Ron, but she also had Slughorn's Christmas party coming up.

She'd toyed with the idea of asking Fred to be her date. After all, he was a much better option than Michael Cormac, and she had come to enjoy the older Weasley's company more and more. In fact, she often found that she missed his energetic presence. Most nights she found herself re-living their meeting at The Three Broomsticks or recalling flattering things he'd said in his letters to her.

Hermione sighed and read the note over once more. It would be so incredibly simple to ask him to be her date for the party. She really did want to…but something was holding her back. She didn't want it to be awkward…what if she couldn't form a sentence around him? What if she wasn't a good date? What if all she talked about was academics, and he found her boring? She really didn't want him to think of her as boring…

Sighing once more, Hermione folded up the note and made her way down the girls' staircase. Better to go ahead and ask Cormac now than later.

* * *

Once again, Hermione was on the run. She pushed past Harry and tangled herself into the crowd, looking back occasionally to make sure that Michael wasn't following her. First the mistletoe, now this. Fred wouldn't have been nearly this bad, she thought to herself with a slight smile. Sure, he would have been on his usual incorrigible behavior, but that was far better than Michael constantly trying to make a move on her.

If Fred was here, he'd be making her laugh. If Fred was here, he'd be listening to her ramble on about all of her ideas for the shop. If Fred was here, he'd be dancing with her with that silly grin on his face. Oh, if only Fred were here, Hermione sighed.

She now found herself out on a balcony. A chilly breeze swept by her, and she shivered. Perhaps wearing a sleeveless dress in December wasn't the best idea. Just when she thought about going inside, Hermione saw a familiar magenta-dressed owl making its way toward her.

"Thank you, good sir," she laughed as it landed on the stone wall in front of her. Timpson, the name of the owl that she had become so fond of, nipped at her fingers lovingly before it held its leg out. The second she saw the name on the parchment, Hermione's heart stopped.

Grinning like a fool, Hermione tickled Timpson's feathers. "He really is the best, isn't he?" she teased. "I bet he's a good owner, too." Timpson squawked happily, spreading his wings and hopping back and forth on his talons in a little dance. Hermione giggled and quickly opened up the letter.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _I'm glad to hear that you liked the daydream charm! We haven't yet planned when you're going to visit the shop. How does the 26th sound? The shop will still be closed then for the holidays, and George and I will be back from the Burrow. Your new academic line is doing well, so well in fact that it's all we seem to sell these days. I should have known that you were going to take over!_

 _Can't wait to see you,_  
 _Fred_

Hermione's heart felt like it was turning into a warm, gooey mess. She re-read the note at least three times, a plan forming in her head. She tucked the note away and made her way back into the fray, the prospect of seeing Fred pushing her through the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Fred laughed as he and George pulled apart a Christmas cracker. A large spring bounced out of it, and it wasn't long before the twins shared a devious, knowing look. Perhaps this could bring forth a new idea for a product? They didn't really need any more ideas, honestly. Hermione's new line was doing so well, and they were constantly busy restocking the shelves of their latest money spinner.

That was another thing- Hermione. Fred couldn't keep his mind off her for more than two minutes. She was meeting him tomorrow at the shop to see "behind the scenes", if you will, and he couldn't wait to give her the Christmas present he'd gotten her. For now, it sat in his room back in Diagon Alley, but he almost wished he'd brought it just so he could make sure nothing happened to it.

"Oi!" George called over the noise of the festivities. "I think I saw Ginny gettin' a bit close with Harry in the living room- wanna go stop it?" he asked mischievously.

Fred grinned, but then saw Ron crossing the room with a plate in his hands. "Nah, I think he's got it handled," he said with a nod. "At least he's doin' something right, as opposed to chasin' off Hermione."

George clapped a hand on Fred's shoulder. "Don' worry, Gred. You'll see her tomorrow, right? And I'll make sure to have some excuse to be away for a bit," Fred's twin winked. They shared a grin and an understanding nod.

Fred was just about to suggest getting a piece of cake when the sound of a large thud against the door made him jump. Curious, he stepped over and opened the door. At his feet lay a disgruntled looking owl. Upon seeing Fred, it quickly hopped up, dropped a note from its beak, and flew off.

"Strange creatures…" Fred mumbled as he stooped to pick up the parchment. As he read the short note, he grinned.

 _Hiding from Ronald, I'm behind the garage. -HG_

George leaned over his shoulder. "Looks like she couldn't wait to see you either," he commented slyly.

"Shut up," Fred laughed. "I'll be back in a bit; don't tell mum, or she'll get upset that Hermione feels she's not welcome."

"Gotcha," George nodded. "Go get 'er, Freddie."

With a smile on his face, Fred headed out toward the place where his dad did all his tinkering. After making sure no one was around, he stuck his hands in his pockets and starting whistling a Christmas carol. A moment passed, and he heard a familiar giggle.

"You're not half bad at that, you know," Hermione commented as she stepped out of the shadows. She smiled up at him through the darkness of the night. "Happy Christmas," she said shyly.

Fred couldn't help but grin. "Ah come on- is that all I get? Just 'happy Christmas'? Not even a hug at all?" Seeing the bashful look on her face, he took a step forward and pulled her into his arms. "Happy Christmas, Hermione," he whispered.

* * *

If there was ever a moment Hermione wanted to melt, this was it. She'd planned it all from the beginning; how to get her hands on a portkey, when to arrive, where to get an owl from to send the message. Fred must be rubbing off on her, she thought with a giggle. Otherwise she could have never pulled off such a feat.

After what felt like an eternity, Fred released her, and Hermione remembered why she was there in the first place. Grinning proudly, she pulled a package out from her winter coat pocket and held it out toward him.

"It's not much," she told him. "But I thought you'd like it." She held her breath as Fred took the package and turned it over curiously. He gave her a little wink before he ripped the pretty wrapping to shreds. What was left in his hands was a pocket watch.

He wasn't saying anything. Nervous, Hermione leaned over and opened up the watch, blushing when her fingers brushed against his. "I got the idea from your family's clock," she explained. "It has everyone in there. I figured…I figured it might be helpful during the war," she said with a tight throat. "There's even a little hand for myself and Harry…do you like it?"

He still didn't say anything. After ten terrible, nerve-wracking seconds, Fred's face split into a grin. "Like it? This is the niftiest thing I've seen in years!" he laughed as he twirled it around. Fred was about to hook it onto his pocket when he noticed something.

"Hang on…why're all the hands going toward mortal peril?" he asked. "You don't think it's broken, do you?"

The witch next to him shifted to look at the watch. "That's odd…I just got it the other day, it should be fine-"

But Hermione had stopped speaking. Because at that moment, flames had ignited all around the Burrow like a wall of fire. From where they were standing, they weren't surrounded by the fire. They were forced to look on from the outside, helpless.

* * *

"Oh Merlin," Hermione breathed. "Come on! We've got to go help!" she said.

She already had her wand out by the time Fred had processed what she said. "No, we can't! Or at least you can't, you have to stay out of the way until the danger's gone-" he rambled. "Look, you stay here, I'll go help-"

"No, I have to help Harry!" she insisted. Fred's heart twisted painfully at Harry's name. Of course she was worried about him. Harry would always come first- no, he told himself. Now was not the time to be jealous.

He and Hermione stared at each other, each trying to silently convince the other. Finally, Fred shook his head and grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry for doing this," he apologized. In the blink of an eye, he had apparated to the flat, Hermione with him. He immediately began checking all the safety wards, aware that a furious Hermione was storming angrily after him.

"What did you do?" she shouted at him. "Take me back! I want to help!"

Frustrated, he spun around and stared at her. "No, I am not taking you back! I care too much about you to let you run out there and get yourself killed over Harry!"

Silence rang through the flat, a silence louder than the words he'd just spoken. Hermione stood there in shock, mouth open. Worried, scared, and more willing than ever to protect her, Fred grabbed her and pulled her against him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I said that," he murmured quickly. He let her go and stared into her eyes. "But please, stay here where it's safe. I'll be back before you know it, I promise."

Wordlessly, Hermione nodded. "You just-" she stopped, choked up. "Just make sure everyone makes it out alive."

Fred nodded. "I promise I will." He turned away from her to apparate, but stopped himself. He looked back at her and smirked. "Just had to make sure my number one priority was safe first," he said with a wink. Then he apparated back to the house.

The moment he was in the front yard, he noticed that the fire was still blazing. The augumenti spell went through his head, ready to be cast. The next moment, however, George was practically tackling him. "Where were you?" he demanded. "Where did you and Hermione go? I went back to the garage and you weren't there! Do you have any idea how worried I've been-?"

Hugging his brother back tightly, Fred murmured, "I'm sorry, I had to get her out of harm's way. I took her back to the flat."

George stared at him before he punched him in the arm. "You could have at least told me!" he insisted. "I thought the death eaters had gotten you!" Fred could see the terrified look in his twin's eyes, and he felt awful.

He grabbed his brother in another fierce hug. "I love you too, George," he whispered. As Fred felt George's shaking body relax, and he knew that he would be alright.

"Fred! George!" a voice called.

Both boys looked up. "Mum?" they called together. Then they saw her. Her and the rest of the family, plus their other Christmas guests, were making their way out of the tall blades of grass. At that moment, all seemed well. But the happy reunion was could only last so long. A large burst of fire came burning through the night sky, and before Fred knew it, his home was set ablaze.

All members of the party stilled. Fred was horrified, but he didn't want to believe what he was seeing. He backed away slowly, covering his ears as if that could block out the terrible sound of crackling wood. In a trance, he pulled the watch out of his pocket. He stared at it with a blank expression. The word "home" was slowly fading, and nearly everyone's hand was pointing toward "lost". Everyone's hand except for Hermione's.

Fred breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her name on the word "shop". Without saying another word— after all, what could be said?—, Fred apparated back to the flat. And there she was. His number one priority, pacing the living room and tapping her wand against her legs nervously. She jumped when he arrived, and her eyes widened when she saw him.

* * *

Hermione had been pacing back and forth, trying to get rid of her nerves. Was everyone okay? What had happened? Who attacked? Why had Fred taken her away? Why did Fred call her his number one priority? What was going on? The moment he apparated into the living room, she knew her nerves hadn't been unfounded.

"What happened?" she asked. He was incredibly silent. Fred walked over to the couch and sat down in a daze.

"They burned it," he said hoarsely. "The death eaters burned the Burrow."

Hermione put a hand over her mouth. "Oh Fred, I am so sorry," she breathed. He didn't reply. She sat down next to him and put an arm around his shaking shoulders. Unshed tears shone in his eyes, and for once, Hermione found that she didn't know what to do.

Hesitantly, she cleared her throat. "Is everyone safe?" she questioned. Fred nodded numbly. "Do you know what happened?" This time he shook his head. Sighing, she curled up closer to him and rested her head on his chest.

"Well," she began. "You got me out of the line of fire. I'd say that was a success. I probably would have gone charging in there after them," she said.

Fred's chest rumbled as he chuckled softly. "Guess I was the smarter one of us this time."

Smiling to herself, Hermione shook her head. "No, not just this time. You're always smart…we're just smart in different ways," she told him.

She looked up and saw a hint of a smile on his lips. "True. We're like two pieces in a puzzle that go together," he mused.

Hermione blushed at this comment, turning away so he couldn't see it. She settled back down into his chest and sighed. War was coming, whether they liked it or not. And as the clock struck twelve, she couldn't help but wonder who her number one priority would be. Sitting there in Fred's arms, she felt as though she already knew who it was, even if she wasn't ready to admit it to herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Fred awoke the next day feeling oddly cold. He looked around and saw that he was still on the couch, fully clothed in his apparel from the day before, but the warm presence known as Hermione Granger was gone. On the table was a piece of parchment.

 _Dear Fred,_

 _I didn't want to worry my parents, so I went back home after you fell asleep. Don't worry, I used the knight bus. I'll be back in the morning to check on you, and, if you feel like it, to have the tour of the back rooms._

 _See you soon,_  
 _Hermione_

His half asleep mind could hardly process what the note said. All he knew was that he must have fallen back asleep, because a knock at the door woke him up again about an hour later. Yawning widely, Fred shuffled over to the flat door and opened it.

The first thing he noticed was the sympathetic look in Hermione's eyes before she came forward and hugged him. "How are you this morning?" she asked softly. Fred sighed. In his dazed and sleepy state, he'd almost forgotten about what had happened the night before. Instead of saying anything, he just shrugged.

Hermione stepped back and frowned at him. "Do we need to do the tour another day?" she questioned. "I understand, really, I do-"

"No, no," Fred interrupted with a shake of his head. "Sorry, I just woke up. Come on in." He flourished a hand lazily, and Hermione laughed. She made her way into the flat, looking around it with a sense of familiarity.

"Tea or coffee?" she asked as she made her way over to the kitchen. Overcome by his desire to be close to her (and the lack of logic in his half conscious mind), Fred went up behind Hermione from where she stood in front of the kettle and wrapped his arms around her.

"Coffee, I suppose," he mumbled into her ear, his chin resting on her shoulder.

* * *

To say that Hermione had mixed feelings would be an understatement. The logical part of her was instinctively tensing up her body at the feeling of a someone wrapping their arms around her. But then the other part of her brain was relaxing at the feeling of being held by someone so familiar. This wasn't a stranger- this was Fred, the man who had somehow become something important to her over the past few months.

And maybe this was his way of dealing with what happened. Maybe he just needed comfort. And when it felt this nice to be held by him, who was she to deny him? A warm feeling bubbling up in her chest, Hermione cast a quick charm to fill the kettle with water and turned on the stove.

Fred continued to snuggle into her, and the warm feeling only grew as they patiently waited in silence for the water to boil. When the kettle squealed, Hermione reached for two mugs and went to grab the coffee mix.

She felt Fred shift, and she instinctively stiffened up again. "Could we have cocoa instead?" he requested softly. Her shoulders relaxed once more, and Hermione nodded. She mixed up the chocolate powder with the hot water and looked around the kitchen as well as she could while she was still caged in Fred's arms.

"Do you have any cinnamon?" she asked curiously. Fred nodded and silently let her go. She watched as he went over to a cabinet and pulled out a little bottle of cinnamon. Grinning shyly, she took the bottle from him and sprinkled it lightly into the cups of cocoa. She picked up the mugs and nodded her head at the couch.

The pair made their way over and sat down. For a few minutes, they simply sat there sipping on their chocolatey drinks. Finally, Hermione cleared her throat. "Where's George?" she questioned.

"Ah, he, um," Fred stuttered. "He's out for the day."

"Spending time with Angelina again?" Hermione asked knowingly.

Fred smiled. "Yeah, probably." There was a moment of silence. "I'm more awake now, I think," he commented.

Hermione nodded. "That's good." Silence again. "Are you…do you still want to show me around the shop today?" she asked hesitantly.

She almost wanted to laugh at the way Fred's head snapped up. "Are you kidding? Of course I do!" he told her. "I've been looking forward to this for years!" This time, Hermione did laugh out loud.

* * *

"For years, hm?" she teased. "You've had this planned out for a while, then."

Fred laughed nervously. "You have no idea," he mumbled under his breath. He was about to say something when a thought hit him. "Oh! Your present!" he shouted, scrambling up from the couch. "I'll be right back!"

He ran down the hallway and burst into his room. He scanned the bed. There it was, just as it had been the other day. Fred sighed with relief as he picked up her Christmas present. He was so glad she hadn't accidentally seen it the other night. After quickly fixing his messy bed hair in the mirror, Fred made his way back into the living room.

He plopped down right next to her and smiled broadly. "Your present, madam." Hermione laughed and gladly accepted the horribly wrapped package. "Sorry," Fred apologized, blushing. "I'm not very good at wrapping."

"It's fine," she giggled. As he expected, Hermione took her time in opening her present. Then suddenly, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Chuckling, Fred put an arm around her shoulders. "You talked about your mum some time way back when," he explained. "How she liked pearls a lot. I thought this would be something for you to remember your family by when you're not with them."

He watched her closely. She wasn't saying anything, but her eyes were watery and shining as she took in the necklace. Fred knew nothing about jewelry, but even he had to say that he liked the simplicity of this piece. On the end of the thin gold strand was a heart wrapped around a single white pearl.

Finally, Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyes. "It's beautiful," she said. She turned her eyes to stare into his own. "Thank you, Fred."

His eyes gazed back deeply. "You're welcome," he whispered. There was a second of blissful silence before he snapped out of it, remembering another important detail. "The lady, um, at the shop was a muggle, and she had an idea-" he turned the pendant over and held it up for Hermione to see. "She said there was this book…something about pride?"

"Pride and prejudice?" Hermione asked.

Fred nodded. "Yeah, that. I told her you liked books, and she thought you'd understand the reference."

* * *

Hermione's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. If it was a line from her all-time favorite romance novel…and it was on a pearl necklace…then that could only mean-

"It says it on the back, see? 'My pearl'," Fred quoted. After she didn't speak for a while (she was far too busy trying not to tear up), he added on quickly, "If you don't like it, she said the engraving could be covered over again."

She couldn't take it anymore. Hermione threw her arms around Fred's neck as more tears escaped her eyes. "I love it!" she claimed. "It's the best thing anyone's ever gotten me."

She could feel Fred's breath on her neck as he sighed. "Oh thank Merlin. I was so worried-"

"Worried that I wouldn't get a reference from a book?" Hermione teased as she drew back. As she looked into his bright blue eyes, she had the sudden urge to tap him jokingly on the nose, but she refrained. "I am a self proclaimed know-it-all, Mr. Wealsey."

He grinned back at her. "Yes, Miss Weas- Granger," he amended. Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She knew what he had started to say, but she wasn't about to point it out and make things awkward. Thankfully, Fred looked like he felt the same way, because he took the necklace from her and made a motion for her to turn around.

That familiar warm and tingly feeling was back. His breath was on her neck once more, and his fingers were brushing lightly against her skin as he reached around and clasped the necklace. For one, excruciatingly short moment, his fingers lingered there, and Hermione held her breath. Then, he got up suddenly, and the moment was shattered.

Fred cleared his throat, stood as tall as possible, and held his hand out toward her. "Shall we start the tour?" he asked with a grand smile.

Hermione accepted his hand and let him pull her up from the couch. "Why, of course we shall!" she replied with a giggle. Fred had been acting so hilariously out of character this morning, and now that he was back to normal again, she couldn't help but wonder why. He wasn't nervous around her, was he? No, he couldn't be…after all, why would the Fred Weasley be nervous around infamous bookworm Hermione Granger?

Shaking her head at herself, Hermione linked her arm through his and let herself be escorted down to the shop.

* * *

For once, the joke shop was dark and completely silent, other than the sound of their shoes on the wood floors. Fred reluctantly unlinked his arm from Hermione's and made his way over to the old fashioned power panel he'd had installed. He looked back and saw that his witch ("his witch"…that sounded quite nice) looked rather confused.

"I thought wizard shops didn't use electricity?" she questioned.

Fred grinned. "They don't. This is just for show," he said as he opened the panel and flipped all of the switches. "It's hilarious watching wizards trying to figure out what it is." At this, Hermione rolled her eyes at him, smiling. Chest puffed out, Fred pulled out his wand, calling, _"Lumos!"_

Instantaneously, light filled the entire shop. Bright bulbs shone in a heavenly glow from above, strands of miniature lights hummed brightly along shelves, and spotlights swiveled about in a jaunty little show. A surge of childish energy ran through Fred as he stood there, hands in his pockets, staring around his shop with pride.

"Wow…" Hermione breathed. "I always forget how impressive this place is."

There was nothing more that Fred needed to hear. He could have swooped her up into his arms and kissed her at that very moment. He could have, and he would have, if only it wasn't for the fact that he had no idea if she felt the same way about him. To distract himself from his wishful thinking, Fred went over and opened a pair of red velvet curtains.

"May I introduce to you our brand new Intelligenti collection?" he requested with a broad smile. Hermione walked over, staring at the shelf in a daze. "All products inspired or suggested by a certain bookworm who's name I oddly enough can't remember, (Hermione giggled and hit his arm lightly) but she sure was a big help," Fred finished. He stepped back and stood by her, watching her expression closely as he wrapped an arm around her. "So…what do you think?" he asked softly.

The witch beside him smiled dreamily. "It's incredible. It's so amazing to actually see my ideas…I mean, they're here! On a shelf!" she laughed incredulously.

Fred chuckled with her. "It's a good feeling, isn't it?" Hermione could only nod.


End file.
